Week 8 intelligence failures or misperceptions

Intelligence Failures or Misperceptions This paper seeks to consider the commonly accepted claims of intelligence failures both before 9/11 and the Iraq War (WMD intelligence assessment). There is enough evidence that the common public perceptions of intelligence failures are correct. This is evident in the Paul Pillar argument. The failures in intelligence prompted calls for reforms depicting that the perceptions are true. For example, in September 11, 2002, the terrorist attacks prompted inquiry by many whether failure existed in the agencies of the United States intelligence to collect all available information concerning the plots that led to the attacks, analyze it appropriately and disseminate it effectively in time in order to protect the public. This failure led to the launching of an unprecedented Joint Inquiry by the Congressional intelligence committees, in order to investigate the records of the Intelligence Community regarding the 9/11 attacks and make recommendations for further legislative action (Week 8 Professor’s Wrap Up Note).
Another factor that supports the claim of intelligence failures is that, although the Intelligence Community provided sufficient warning of an imminent attack in mid-2001 against the United States by Osama Bin Laden, the Community never learned the plans for aircraft hijackings in advance, which occurred on September 11. In addition, inquiries arose on whether the Intelligence Community failed to provide precise information about the ability of Iraqi to develop and use weapons of mass destruction (WMD), or whether the Administration of Bush systematically misused intelligence to acquire support for launching Operation Iraqi Freedom in March 2003, as well as for continuing military operations in Iraq. As of today, the inquiry and research into both of the perceived major contemporary intelligence failures continues.
According to Paul Pillar argument, the intelligence community was aware prior to 9/11 of the threats and received many from al-Qaeda that they will attack America on American soil. Along with the high amount of threats received in the summer of 2001, Americans had several chances of taking out Bin Ladin. However, the president and the intelligence community failed to act aggressively on the threats. And in 1993 America was attacked with the bombing of the World Trade Center.  This is an evidence of failed community intelligence and a weakness or inexperience of leadership. Other similar examples include the decision to go to war with Iraq, which was pure weakness and failures in presidential leadership (Pillar, 2011).
Bibliography
Pillar, Paul . Intelligence and US Foreign Policy: Iraq, 9/11, and Misguided Reform. New York: Columbia University Press, 2011
Week 8 Professor’s Wrap Up Notes